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καινός

kainós

G2537 attributive adjective

SILEX Entry

Definition

New, with reference to quality rather than age; something not previously existing, unused, or different in nature from what was before. Especially denotes newness in the sense of freshness, innovation, or transformation, rather than simply being recent in time. Can refer to a new order, a new covenant, or a new creation, focusing on the distinctive, fresh, or superior nature of what is new.

Semantic Range

new in kind, fresh, innovative, unprecedented, renewed, unfamiliar, distinct from what existed before

Root / Etymology

Etymology uncertain. Possibly pre-Greek or formed within Greek from the nominal root καιν-. It is semantically distinguished from νέος (neos) which refers to 'new' in terms of time/age, whereas καινός emphasizes newness in character or quality.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, καινός referred to something new in the sense of novel or fresh—unprecedented, unfamiliar, or innovative. By the Hellenistic and Koine period, it often described a quality of transformation, unfamiliarity, or novelty, sometimes contrasted with what is old or established. In the Septuagint (LXX) and New Testament, καινός is used notably for terms such as καινὴ διαθήκη ('new covenant'), καινός οὐρανός ('new heaven'), and καινὴ κτίσις ('new creation'), where the emphasis lies on a qualitative transformation or a new order of things rather than mere chronological newness. Contrast with νέος, which focuses on youth or recent origin; καινός highlights qualitative difference or renewed condition. Traditional English translations as 'new' do not always capture the emphasis on innovative or transformative quality present in the Greek term.

Translation Consistency

primary "new" 37 occurrences

kainós primarily denotes newness of kind or quality (fresh, innovative, transformed) rather than mere recency. "New" is the most natural, common English rendering that covers the typical senses (new order, new covenant, new creation) and matches the majority of existing renderings, so it provides clear, consistent translation across all forms.

Alternatives (4 occurrences):
"new-kind" (3x) "fresh ones" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

of uncertain affinity; new (especially in freshness; while νέος is properly so with respect to age:--new.

Root Family

καιν- (enkaínia) — to make new, to dedicate, to renew

Root καιν- new in quality, fresh, novel, unprecedented
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
G1456 ἐγκαίνια dedication festivals
G1457 ἐγκαινίζω he inaugurated
G2538 καινότης in newness
G340 ἀνακαινίζω to make new again
G341 ἀνακαινόω being made new again

Word Forms

9 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G2537-04 καινὴν kainen ADJ.A ACC F SG new new in kind new in kind 11
G2537-07 καινὸν kainon ADJ.S ACC N SG new a fresh, unprecedented thing new 10
G2537-03 καινή kaine ADJ.A NOM F SG new new in kind (feminine singular) new in kind (feminine singular) 6
G2537-09 καινούς kainous ADJ.A ACC M PL new fresh, unprecedented new ones 4
G2537-01 καινὰ kaina ADJ.S ACC N PL new new things new things 3
G2537-05 καινῆς kaines ADJ.A GEN F SG new of a new-kind of a new-kind 3
G2537-08 καινοῦ kainou ADJ.A GEN N SG new of new kind of new kind 2
G2537-02 καιναῖς kainais ADJ.A DAT F PL new to fresh ones fresh ones 1
G2537-06 καινῷ kaino ADJ.S DAT N SG new to a new kind new 1

Occurrences in Scripture

41 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G2537-09 Matthew 9:17 καινούς kainous ADJ.A ACC M PL new fresh, unprecedented new ones
G2537-01 Matthew 13:52 καινὰ kaina ADJ.S ACC N PL new new things new things
G2537-07 Matthew 26:29 καινὸν kainon ADJ.S ACC N SG new a fresh, unprecedented thing new
G2537-06 Matthew 27:60 καινῷ kaino ADJ.S DAT N SG new to a new kind new
G2537-03 Mark 1:27 καινή kaine ADJ.A NOM F SG new new in kind (feminine singular) new in kind (feminine singular)
G2537-07 Mark 2:21 καινὸν kainon ADJ.S NOM N SG new a fresh, unprecedented thing new
G2537-09 Mark 2:22 καινούς kainous ADJ.A ACC M PL fresh fresh, unprecedented new ones
G2537-07 Mark 14:25 καινὸν kainon ADJ.S ACC N SG new a fresh, unprecedented thing new
G2537-02 Mark 16:17 καιναῖς kainais ADJ.A DAT F PL new to fresh ones fresh ones
G2537-08 Luke 5:36 καινοῦ kainou ADJ.A GEN N SG new of new kind of new kind
G2537-07 Luke 5:36 καινὸν kainon ADJ.S ACC N SG new a fresh, unprecedented thing new
G2537-08 Luke 5:36 καινοῦ kainou-2 ADJ.S GEN N SG new of new kind of new kind
G2537-09 Luke 5:38 καινοὺς kainous ADJ.A ACC M PL new fresh, unprecedented new ones
G2537-03 Luke 22:20 καινὴ kaine ADJ.A NOM F SG new new in kind (feminine singular) new in kind (feminine singular)
G2537-04 John 13:34 καινὴν kainen ADJ.A ACC F SG new new in kind new in kind
G2537-07 John 19:41 καινόν kainon ADJ.A NOM N SG new a fresh, unprecedented thing new
G2537-03 Acts 17:19 καινὴ kaine ADJ.S NOM F SG new new in kind (feminine singular) new in kind (feminine singular)
G2537-03 1 Corinthians 11:25 καινὴ kaine ADJ.A NOM F SG new new in kind (feminine singular) new in kind (feminine singular)
G2537-05 2 Corinthians 3:6 καινῆς kaines ADJ.A GEN F SG new of a new-kind of a new-kind
G2537-03 2 Corinthians 5:17 καινὴ kaine ADJ.A NOM F SG new new in kind (feminine singular) new in kind (feminine singular)
G2537-01 2 Corinthians 5:17 καινά kaina ADJ.S NOM N PL new new things new things
G2537-03 Galatians 6:15 καινὴ kaine ADJ.A NOM F SG new new in kind (feminine singular) new in kind (feminine singular)
G2537-07 Ephesians 2:15 καινὸν kainon ADJ.A ACC M SG new a fresh, unprecedented thing new
G2537-07 Ephesians 4:24 καινὸν kainon ADJ.A ACC M SG new a fresh, unprecedented thing new
G2537-04 Hebrews 8:8 καινήν kainen ADJ.A ACC F SG new new in kind new in kind
G2537-04 Hebrews 8:13 καινὴν kainen ADJ.S ACC F SG new new in kind new in kind
G2537-05 Hebrews 9:15 καινῆς kaines ADJ.A GEN F SG new of a new-kind of a new-kind
G2537-09 2 Peter 3:13 καινοὺς kainous ADJ.A ACC M PL new fresh, unprecedented new ones
G2537-04 2 Peter 3:13 καινὴν kainen ADJ.A ACC F SG new new in kind new in kind
G2537-04 1 John 2:7 καινὴν kainen ADJ.A ACC F SG new new in kind new in kind
G2537-04 1 John 2:8 καινὴν kainen ADJ.A ACC F SG new new in kind new in kind
G2537-04 2 John 1:5 καινὴν kainen ADJ.A ACC F SG new new in kind new in kind
G2537-07 Revelation 2:17 καινὸν kainon ADJ.A ACC N SG new a fresh, unprecedented thing new
G2537-05 Revelation 3:12 καινῆς kaines ADJ.A GEN F SG new of a new-kind of a new-kind
G2537-07 Revelation 3:12 καινόν kainon ADJ.R ACC N SG new a fresh, unprecedented thing new
G2537-04 Revelation 5:9 καινὴν kainen ADJ.A ACC F SG new new in kind new in kind
G2537-04 Revelation 14:3 καινὴν kainen ADJ.A ACC F SG new new in kind new in kind
G2537-07 Revelation 21:1 καινὸν kainon ADJ.A ACC M SG new a fresh, unprecedented thing new
G2537-04 Revelation 21:1 καινήν kainen ADJ.A ACC F SG new new in kind new in kind
G2537-04 Revelation 21:2 καινὴν kainen ADJ.A ACC F SG new new in kind new in kind
G2537-01 Revelation 21:5 καινὰ kaina ADJ.S ACC N PL new new things new things
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